Interested in reloading 9mm .40 & .45

[Elgatodeacero]

I did not intend for my post to be argumentative or directed at your post @broadside, I think we agree. And when value of time is factored in, its all just a fantasy! Like those “free ducks” I harvested last year that cost $75.00 per pound when all costs factored in (except my time which would bring cost to 750 per pound).

To the OP, I would rather have a single stage press and a Labradar versus no chrono/radar and a Dillon 750.

[Snoopy47]

Some things I'll share that I didn't see mentioned above.

Don't go all in with all three calibers yet. Just choose one, and get it working well for you.

9mm case sizing will give you the most trouble because it has a slight taper to it, and the bottom is rimmed so a die isn't made that can fully size the case wall.

I'd recommend starting with 45ACP.

Next, choose a powder that you can use across all three calibers.

Lead exposure is part of the hobby, and there are ways to minimize it. I personally found my greatest exposure to lead comes from SPENT cases and the residue on the case itself after being fired. The PRIMERS are the source of my lead exposure and I think most of us don't understand that fully.

I don't shoot cast lead anymore, I always go with a plated, jacketed, or poly coated bullet.

As well, in regards to lead exposure I have found LEADLESS primers, but I've only found SMALL ones. It's a start.

REMEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When looking at a bullet recipe the bullet TYPE matters just as much as the bullet WEIGHT!!!!!!!!! A 200gn Cast Lead will build more pressure than a 200gn FMJ. Poly coated and plated are sort of in the middle but closer to performing like cast lead.

So if you can't find a recipe for your EXACT bullet keep in mind, you need to find one that matches the bullet COATING with the bullet WEIGHT.

********
There are no short cuts, don't skip any steps, and take your time. I always use 4 die sets or more.

[For54]

Theres some experimenting to reloading, especially when starting out. Verifying results of your reloads requires going to the range. The amount of results you record depends on how many trips to the range you make. Dont load hundreds of rounds on an experimental recipe just to find out it doesnt work as well as you thought and now you are stuck with hundreds of mediocre rounds. I have reloaded many recipes that just didnt work well, recorded it to remind myself not to load that again.

I recommend going slow at first, load 10-20 of different recipes and shoot them at the range, record results. Find what recipe you like then set your dies and equipment to replicate that round.

[golfish]

And don't expect to actually save any money for a long time.

This is so true..
A few members here got me into reloading. I never considered buying a gun flavored in 45 LC until after I started reloading. I never really saw any 45LC ammo except for cowboy action shooting.

I started with one of the RCBS kits and really have no interest in upgrading my press. If my son ever gets the bug I might upgrade but for now I'm good.

I've really learned a lot in the past year.

[sirgrumps]

If you are only going to do those calibers, a used Dillon Square Deal.
There are limitations with that you have to use proprietary dies, only popular calibers dies are available, and you can only do pistol calibers.

Most of the used ones are people upgrading to a 550 or 650. Once you get comfortable reloading on that one for a while. You can sell it an upgrade yourself. The y hold their value pretty decently.

Regarding the primer sizes, small is for 40 cal and smaller (typically) and large I’d for the rest. You also have to throw in magnum primers, for both sizes.

As for powders, for the calibers you’re interested in, HP-38/WW231 is probably the best overall powder.

Getting the components, gun shows. You can find bullets, powder, and primers can be found from multiple vendors at those shows. At here is a few store that sell all the components, like Turners.

[five.five-six]

This is so true..
A few members here got me into reloading. I never considered buying a gun flavored in 45 LC until after I started reloading. I never really saw any 45LC ammo except for cowboy action shooting.

I started with one of the RCBS kits and really have no interest in upgrading my press. If my son ever gets the bug I might upgrade but for now I'm good.

I've really learned a lot in the past year.

My pet load for .45LC was 225 cast over 5.3 trailboss. Just a peach to shoot.

[stilly]

Than you i will seriously look at that item,

U stated "just developed a 9mm load with a spm primer and 5gr of CFE-P with a plated 115gr rn. Works beautifully."

U had to develope a specific 9mm load?

Or was it just preference that u set it up that way?

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Sorry, develop= make

I call them ladder loads. Because you go up the ladder with the charge until you find what you like.

I have to make 10k 9mm rds as a task, but they have to work, so I started with the lee classic turret and set it up for 9mm and found a correct length that I liked that should fit in a Sig, Rami, Khar, Glock and P320, Essentially, make a single round with a weak charge, test it for plunking in each chamber, good for length, then make a few more of those, see how they fire, then up the charge and see how they fire, then up the charge again. Your load will develop and you will get a feel for how it shoots in certain guns.

In my case, I am using a small pistol magnum primer because, well, I had 68k that I bought from a calgunner some time ago and I did not see the need to go and buy 10K more that were NOT magnums. So I started with a weaker charge. Now I have documented my load with notes (I have a custom reloading card I make and use) Now I know what I like, which is around 5.22gr of powder with THAT magnum primer and these particular plated rn 115gr projectiles.

If I EVER need to make it again after taking my press apart, I can put it all back together and put the measurements back to what I have written down. After a few rounds I am back to cranking out the same exact size and charge 9mm once again...

That is what it is to develop a load. And there are other people that will even go farther than that measuring case weights and projectile weights. I do not do that for pistol ammo. No need, but precision long range shooting you might want to do that. If it sounds like a lot of work, it really is not, just a lot of fun.

Snoopy suggested starting with .45, but I dunno. .45 or 9mm maybe to start, but not .40. Start with .40 last. Pick a caliber- .45 was stated because it is a low velocity slow moving low pressure cannon. Lots of fun rounds to make with those, I have a 150gr swc that shoots about 1200+ FPS and recoils like a .22. I had to get a custom mold for it, but it is not found in any book. I forgot what the specs were, but they are written down on my card in my binder. I know they are powder coated .45 And I have some nubbins that are around 130gr that shoot a little faster. Still fun to shoot.

You can't buy this ammo, You can only make it. That is the fun part of reloading. We all have our little pet loads that we like. The only problem with starting with .45 is watching for the big primer cases vs the little primer cases. You do not want to mix them up on the press. Frustration will follow...

[pennstater]

Good to see you posting again stilly. Been awhile.

[Cowboy T]

Have a look at my reloading videos. They're free to view and download. This is what I used to get started reloading without breaking the bank, and while I've added a couple of progressive presses since then, I still use this setup today. It is done from the perspective of the "newbie" like yourself.

http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/basicreloading.html

The example round here is .38 Special, one of the easiest and most common cartridges to reload. The process is the same for other rounds, too, such as .45 Colt, 9mm Para/Luger, .45 ACP, and others. Actually, .45 ACP is about as easy to reload as .38 Special!

Those who've told you to read those reloading manuals are 100% correct. READ THEM. THEN STUDY THEM. Do this before you start playing around with actual gear and components. I must've read through my first reloading manual about 20 times before I started actually making ammunition. It was time well spent and worth every second.

Take it slowly at first. The speed will come with experience. Remember: "slow is smooth, and smooth is fast." That definitely applies to reloading as well. My first box of ammo (50-round count) took me something like four and a half hours to make, since I was octuple-checking just about every step I did. Today, I make six boxes of ammo in an hour, including boxing it up. And that comes with time and experience. You'll get it.

Do single-stage for your first 1,000 or so rounds. That'll teach you the steps well so that you can more readily know what to look for as far as mistakes. And you *WILL* make mistakes. The important thing is to learn how to detect and fix them.

[BajaJames83]

If all you ever plan to load is handgun personally I'd look at the dillon SDB. If you plan on losing rifle then the 550.

With your shotgun loading experience even old it will make it that much easier to start. Just gi slow one at a time on a progressive to start and check check check and you'll be fine

[stilly]

Good to see you posting again stilly. Been awhile.

Thank you sir.

I kinda missed the new folks in the reloading forums and I thought it was a good idea to give back to the Calguns community once again

[ar15barrels]

Downloaded some books, gonna read up, but in the mean time im looking for a starter or beginners set to load all three of the above cals...

Not sure what economical items id need and total cost for a beginner?

Any info or advice towards set ups would be great

I dont have a ton of room and havent reloaded handgun ammo, when i was young we use to do shot gun shells but damn that was ages ago...

Thanks for any direction. Towards a starter set

Did you read my sticked thread?

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=229221